Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Cathy MacPhail - Devil You Know - Book Review (Kelpiesteen)

Book Synopsis: "Baz was the kind of friend I wanted. Everyone seemed a bit afraid of him." Forced to move away from his dad in Aberdeen to a run-down Glasgow council estate, Logan thinks he's pretty lucky to have made any friends -- let alone Baz and the boys. Baz might have a bit of reputation, be a bit mouthy, but he's the kind of friend who'll stick up for you; who'll make life interesting -- or should that be dangerous? When Logan, Baz and the boys get caught up a local turf war Baz is the first to fight back. But the aftermath leads Logan and his friends deeper into a world of real-life gangs, threats and lethal revenge. How far will Baz go, and will Logan follow him?

Book Review: This is another interesting and challenging take on teenage life from the award winning author Cathy MacPhail. This is the second book that I have read written by Cathy. I really connected with this story. It brought back a flood of childhood memories; the feeling of freedom and the naive outlook on the world.   

I had a great time relating to the characters in this story as it really took me back to my own childhood. I was immediately immersed into the world of Logan and his friends. I felt every heartbeat of this story pulsating with the reality of human life. Set on a challenging Glasgow council estate, perhaps not the most exciting place you might be thinking, but it is certainly one that will get you thinking. The themes will have similarities to those that young people will be facing today as they try to navigate their teenage lives through these. 

The book creates a large imprint in the friendship department. It focuses on the daily outlook on life and families and the fact that they are never perfect. It depicts many social problems and fears that we may have about ourselves and the world around us. 

This book is an adventure full of thrills and spills where the characters get involved in the proper gang culture, and not just kid ones. This brings about some dark and deadly serious plot turns as threats and revenge have their price. How dangerous will it get for Logan, Baz, Mickey, Gary and Claude ( don't forget Ricky the dog) "just a bunch of boys" looking for something to do at night? 

I think teenage boys will love this book. The plot is very clever and well thought out. Towards the end of the story you will be faced with a killer twist. I did not see this coming, so I will not say anything else, but the clues are there. This story is fast paced and well plotted; full of action and equal amounts of tension that will have you gripped throughout. 

This is another book that I would not normally pick up but I really loved it. Mnay thanks to Floris Books for sending me a copy.  

Paperback: 240 Pages  - Publisher: Kelpies 6 Mar. 2015 - ISBN-13: 978-1782501794

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Kevin Brooks - iBoy - Guest Review

                                            


Today I was sent two great book reviews (via my comments box) by anonymous readers. It's great to be able to post other peoples' reviews other than my own; to be able to read other people enjoying books as much as I do. Thank you very much for sending these to me, whoever you are. I would have liked to have been able to attribute this to a specific person but can't, as I don't know who you are. I will post the other review some time next week.


Here is a review I did of iBoy for a local newspaper: If I had the same 'super powers' as Tom Harvey, writing this review would be a lot simpler. For example, I could type it up, run a spellcheck and e-mail it, all in my head. And while I'm at it, I could watch a couple of YouTube videos, read the newspaper and hack into Bill Gate's bank account. Again, all in my head. Intrigued? So was Tom after he first experienced his paranormal abilities while lying in a hospital bed. He was walking home from school one day when an iPhone came flying out of a window and shattered on his skull. Fragments of the iPhone fused with his brain and gave him unimaginable mental powers. Lying in the hospital bed, Tom felt the overwhelming sensation of infinite knowledge. He was connected. Anything an iPhone could do, e-mails, photos, Internet pages, videos, texts, whatever, Tom could access in his head. However, as any powerful figure will tell you, with great power comes choices of great consequences. While Tom was unconscious in the hospital, a local gang committed a gruesome attack on Tom's friend, Lucy. Tom was forced to choose whether or not to use his powers to track down Lucy's offenders or accept the fact that these things happen, as the police had already done. But one thing was for sure, Tom would never be the same again... First of all, I would not suggest that you read this book if you are under 12 years old. iBoy deals with some mature content, violence and contains language that you better not let your mother ever hear you say. When it comes to the plot, if you can look past the highly fictional concept and just buy into the story, it will be a much more enjoyable experience. iBoy is a great book to read if you're looking to zone out for a couple of days. It hooks you around every corner and is a fast-paced, absorbing read. I would almost compare this book to Spiderman set in a gang-ruled neighbourhood. With elements of action, mystery, sci-fi and a bit of romance, iBoy is sure to be a hot end-of-summer read!

Kevin Brooks - iBoy - Book Review

I have had a super weekend at the FCBG conference in Reading, where I have had the opportunity to attend some great children's book events. I really enjoyed being able to speak to other delegates and a whole host of publishers. It was yet again, another memorable conference, set in superb surroundings.

 

'iboy' was one of the books that I came away with from the Puffin stand. It was highly recommended; I was completely sold on the book purely from the passionate account that the publisher gave, regarding the storyline. As a result I desperately wanted to read it, and as soon as I could. Fortunately the long train journey home enabled my wish to come true, and within 48 hours of acquiring the book, I was soon turning the pages.

 

I have to say that this book has been a great read; a really unexpected and very memorable story. I had an initial idea that this was some sort of Hollywood-type blockbuster; a modern day Superhero, with lots of non-stop action and gadgets. But to be honest it has fallen short of this, and in this instance, I am pleased that it has.

Before the attack, sixteen-year-old Tom Harvey was just an ordinary boy. But now fragments of a shattered iPhone are embedded in his brain and it’s having an extraordinary effect . . . Because now Tom has powers. The ability to know and see more than he could ever imagine. And with incredible power comes knowledge – and a choice. Seek revenge on the violent gangs that rule his estate and assaulted his friend Lucy, or keep quiet? Tom has control when everything else is out of control. But it’s a dangerous price to pay. And the consequences are terrifying . . 

This book has a gripping real-life feel to it; with characters who are found to be living their lives on an inner city estate, outside of London. The story covers gritty issues such as drugs, the gang culture and even rape. Tom and Lucy, unfortunately find themselves victims to some of these events, at some point within the story. 

The book has a brilliant heart-in-your-mouth story. I loved every page of this amazing book; it will stay with me for some time to come.  I have to say, that I probably wouldn't have normally picked it up, due to it depicting 'real-life' issues. It was only the lure of the Superhero character which evetually enticed me. However everything within the book works well together, even the Superhero is understated and is featured more like a real-life hero.

I would really recommend for you to get your hands on a copy of this book; it comes out in July. I would love to hear your comments once you've had a chance to read it.

I would love to see an additional book being written; just to see the possibilities as to how iboy could be developed into another storyline. We'll just have to wait and see if this is possible . . . . .